Susana is an Accredited Specialist (Family Law) and was admitted to private practice in 1989. In the Doyle’s Guide she is rated by her peers as a Recommended Leading NSW Family Lawyer. She has practised exclusively in Family Law for the last 20 years. Prior to joining Broun Abrahams Burreket in 2013, Susana was a Director of a Commercial Firm in Western Sydney where she led the Family Law practice group.
Susana’s clients are located in all parts of Australia as well as overseas and she is often called upon to advise on difficult Family Law issues including matters of jurisdiction, enforcement of orders, the international relocation of children and the valuation of overseas property and business interests. She regularly attends international Family Law conferences to keep abreast of developments in Family Law in other countries. She is a member of LAWASIA, most recently in 2014 she presented at a Family Law conference in Japan.
Susana’s expertise in cases involving children is extensive and she has worked with many highly regarded child and family psychiatrists and social scientists. She presently sits on the Legal Aid Commission of NSW Panel of Independent Children’s Lawyers and she often represents clients and children in complex Family Law cases involving serious allegations of family violence and abuse. Since 2012 she has represented the NSW Law Society Family Issues Committee on the Magellan Committee of the Family Court of Australia at Sydney. Her thorough knowledge of the law relating to children and parenting disputes provides her clients with the confidence that they will receive expert legal representation in all matters relating to their children.
Susana also has extensive experience in financial cases and she has been involved in a number of reported decisions of the Family Court. She regularly engages with senior counsel and highly respected forensic accountants to ensure her clients receive commercial, proactive advice and most importantly a solution to their legal problem which best meets their circumstances.
Susana appreciates the emotional and financial costs associated with litigation and she is a firm advocate of the benefits of solving a dispute without Court wherever achievable. She has completed mediation training with Bond University as well as training in the internationally recognized practice of collaborative Family Law. She is able to bring those particular skills to each of her matters for the benefit of her clients.
As a testament to her knowledge and commitment to the advancement of Family Law practice, Susana is currently appointed to the NSW Law Society Family Issues Committee which is often called upon to make submission to government and other bodies on proposed changes to legislation and issues impacting Family Law in Australia. In 2013 she was also appointed to the Specialist Accreditation Advisory Committee – Family Law to develop specialist accreditation in Family Law through structured peer assessment process.
Susana’s clients enjoy vigorous representation in and out of the Court complimented by her experience, empathy and sound practical advice.
